In a time of need
by PearDrop66
Summary: A small one shot that takes place shortly after the events of 'Dressed for Success'. What if Molly hadn't chosen Daniel? and Daniel had been there for Betty the night of her Father's heart attack? Would they both find the comfort they needed?


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story, and I certainly don't own Ugly Betty! If I did I'd be writing the movie script right now not this!

IN A TIME OF NEED

After hours of sitting in the hospital, staring at her father's frail body and occasionally sobbing into his chest, the nurses had finally forced her go home. Betty would have rather stayed, if she could even just sit with him she could start to make up for the fact she wasn't there- the realization set in and tears filled her eyes 'Oh god, I really wasn't there'.

She now lay in her room staring at the ceiling, she was aware of the tears pooling in her eyes and yet she didn't know how to explain this feeling, her sadness and the crushing guilt. It wasn't like anything she'd ever felt- this was her fault. This revelation made it hard to breathe. 'What was I thinking?' Sure she had seen Jodie and saved her job, but Hilda's words weighed down on her heavily 'I just hope it's worth it'. It wasn't worth it; even the thought of her networking whilst her father lay dying made her sick to her stomach. With a pained sigh she looked over at her alarm clock '2AM?' The guilt tortured her, but as much as she tried to sleep, to numb the pain it eluded her. 'Why should I even try' she thought bitterly, she deserved to feel this grief. Sighing again she sat up realizing for he first time that everything in her room reminded her of her father, guilt sat painfully on her heart again-she needed to get out, and go somewhere she could pretend everything was okay in Betty Suarez land. The bridge! that's what would make her forget, it was the only place she could escape if only for tonight.

Daniel felt empty, after spilling his heart telling Molly he loved her it didn't matter-she loved Connor and not him…his heart fell to pieces, this wasn't like Sofia. Molly was real, kind, funny and not his. As he walked back to his apartment his mind wandered, maybe she would change her mind. Hope now filled every one of his thoughts- what if she was waiting for him? With this thought he quickened his pace and sprinted the rest of the way home. Empty both his doorstop and his heart. He fumbled with his keys and stumbled into his apartment, not stopping until he was on his couch, a glass of scotch in his hand. Looking down on his coffee table, he noticed what lay upon it the letters from Molly's class. 'Oh god why did everything remind him of her?' Sleep was out of the question, but what could he do? And then he remembered the one place he had gone countless times to take his mind off things-The Bridge. Grabbing his coat he rushed out and hailed a cab, to Queens.

As Betty stepped out into the cold city air her heart relaxed slightly, she knew pretending wouldn't last for long, but for now she could forget. She hailed a cab, staring out of the window she looked out into the lights of the city. They really did make her feel better; she always knew those lights and their beauty, were magical. Nearing the bridge she saw another figure leaning on the edge and staring into the distance she noticed he looked vaguely familiar. She shrugged it off and paid the cab driver as he pulled to a stop. Stepping back out into the cold air she breathed a sigh of relief, her mind could now pretend everything was okay. She leant her hands across the railing and stared at the stranger further down the bridge, he really did look familiar, his dark hair almost made him look like…'Daniel!'

The taxi ride was unusually quick, all Daniel could think about was getting to the bridge, it was the one place he hoped he could forget about her. The bridge was empty as the driver pulled up to the sidewalk; Daniel paid him and stepped out into the cold New York air. Molly was starting to leave his thoughts, he didn't really think about anything as he stared into the bright lights of Manhattan. He knew he was running from his feelings but he couldn't help it, he knew the one person who could get him out of this was Betty, but she wasn't here, it was as if he could hear her giving one her trademark pep talks- 'Daniel!' It must have been the drinking but he swore he actually heard her voice 'Hey! Daniel!' 'Wait- it couldn't be' he thought, turning around he came face to face with Betty Suarez herself.

Betty couldn't believe it Daniel was here, now!; she was starting to remember the grief. His blue eyes locked on hers and he smiled sadly, this was too much, she didn't deserve his kindness. She saw the look of concern on his face as her eyes pooled with tears once again and she broke down.

'Betty, what's wrong?' she stumbled towards him and buried her face in his shirt, she couldn't stop crying loosing her father too? That was something she just couldn't deal with. Her temporary numbness had faded, leaving her with the feeling of crippling regret and guilt. Her cries had softened to a whimper and Daniel slowly moved her to face him.

'Betty, seriously what's wrong?' the look of fear the concern in his voice almost made her break down again.

'Daniel, my father he had a heart attack' her voice broke at those last words.

'Oh my god Betty, is he okay?' the concern in his voice had deepened considerably.

'He's still in hospital- the doctors think he will be okay, but Daniel I wasn't there' her voice quivered 'He was dying in my living room and I was in the city- at a party' she spat out those last words.

Daniel's problems suddenly felt like nothing, Betty needed him now, the pain in her voice was almost too much to bear, and the bitterness of her words was something he had never heard before and it shattered him- she couldn't have known it wasn't her fault.

'Betty, this was not your fault- you didn't know, you can't blame yourself for this'. He knew this to be true, but he also knew Betty and the look in her eyes said she didn't believe him.

'No Daniel, if I had been there maybe it would have been different, what would my mother think of me? I left my family Daniel, - for work' she shook her head and stared at her hands as if they were poison.

This was very strange- this wasn't _his_ Betty it wasn't. 'Betty, please I know you and your father he's in the hospital, but he's okay. Stop with this guilt Betty- this wasn't your fault'. He was trying to gage her reaction, but she closed the gap between them, her whimper had returned.

'Thank you, Daniel, I'm going to do whatever it takes to help my dad now, I have to. I wont give up on him because I love him' Her words struck a chord within him, he couldn't give up on Molly, because like Betty he didn't want to loose someone he loved either. Closing his eyes he rested his cheek on her head and her whimpers started to slowly die down. Despite the severity of the situation both of them were now somewhat content in the shared feeling that maybe everything would be okay.


End file.
